Interactive Whiteboards in EducationDana M. Starkey

EDG 646

FactsInteractive Whiteboards are a large display that connects to a computer and a projector. The projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface, where users control the computer with a pen, finger, or other device. The board is typically mounted to a wall or floor stand.The main suppliers: Smart, Hitachi and Promethean, a U.K. company.

FactsSales zoomed from 170,000 units in 2004 to 700,000 worldwide this year, mostly to schools. Almost a third of k--12 classes in the U.S.--and three-quarters of the schools in the U.K. have Interactive Whiteboards.More than half of the world's interactive whiteboards (and 63% of those in the U.S.) are made by Smart Technologies, a 22-year-old privately held company in Calgary, Alta. run by husband-and-wife co-founders David A. Martin, and Nancy Knowlton.

FactsMartin and Knowlton built the first Smart Board in 1991.Smart Technologies is the most popular Interactive Whiteboard sales manufacturer in the U.S.Smart Technologies racked up sales of $21 million in 1999.Smart Technologies revenue for 2009 was recorded at $430 million.

Worldwide InfluenceIn 2004 the British government decided to spend $90 million on interactive whiteboards for grade school classrooms.The total number of interactive whiteboards sold by all manufacturers during 2009 was 747,572, up nearly 34 percent from the previous year.

Worldwide InfluenceFuture-source predicts the number of interactive whiteboards sold in 2010 will be nearly one million – a 27 percent increase over 2009. There are currently 2.78 million interactive whiteboards installed worldwide, representing approximately seven percent of all classrooms. There are approximately 1.5 million SMART Board interactive whiteboards installed worldwide, and more than 30 million students benefit from the product every day.By 2013, it is predicted that 20 percent of classrooms will include an interactive whiteboard.

% of Classrooms with Interactive Whiteboards

YEAR UK US2004 26% 5%2005 41% 7%2006 53% 10%2007 63% 14%2008 71% 22%2009 78% 31%

Source: Futuresource Consulting.

Effects on Students"There's no silver bullet in education, but we see these increasing student enjoyment and decreasing behavioral problems, and that translates into better student achievement.”- Smart Technologies Owner N. KnowltonTeachers can use whiteboards for wonderful interactive multimedia presentations for an entire class, combining many types of digital material with the touch of a finger, or they can use the boards with only a couple of students at a time. The presentations and student work can be annotated and saved.Whiteboards can be used with student response systems, visual presenters, podcasts, and much more. Used properly, they could even be the teaching tool that can compete for students' attention with TV, games, and other exciting external visual activities.

SPECS…SmartBoardSmart Board SB660i has a 64-inch diagonal board (4:3 aspect ratio)Smart Board SB680i has a 77- inch diagonal board (4:3 aspect ratio)Smart Board SB685i has an 87-inch wide screen board (16:10 ratio)Smart Board SBD600 has a dual-user mode allowing two students to work at the board at the same timeEach projector uses 2,0000 lumensProjector bulbs lasts 3-4k hours depending on standard or economy mode

SPECS…HitachiHitachi offers the StarBoard, which is similar to the SmartBoardIt comes in 50- 77 inch sizesNotable differences are that Hitachi offers a plasma display option. Hitachi also only responds to the touch of the wireless electronic pen, not the use of fingers. This keeps the board oriented more accurately, but can be costly if you lose the pens.

SPECS…e-BeamThe small, lightweight e-Beam receiver attaches to any flat, rigid surface and allows you to utilize an existing wall or board without covering it up.Can cover a surface of 9’ x 5’Interactive Flash tools are provided to be downloaded and used

SPECS… PolyVisionPolyVision makes the eno board, which can be installed over any ceramic/steel or whiteboard surfaceUses Bluetooth capability instead of wiringRuns about $3,000Offer student response systems as well as teacher walk and talk remote controls

PolyVision- ENO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSLKGQEeags

SPECS…PrometheanPromethean now offers a gooseneck-mounted lens to show 3-D objectsOffers learner response systems, classroom audio, software, and interactive toolsMust use the ActivPen when writing. No other objects can be supplemented. The theory behind this is that it improves student writing, and touch screens can be too temperamental.

SPECS… TeamBoardTeamBoard is an interactive product geared toward large group instructional settings, such as lecture hallsSaves digital notes that can be printed (like Smart Boards)Can be written on as a whiteboard without using the projector and it will save it to your computer

Technology Extensions

When attached to the Internet, these boards are a portal to the digital world. Students can manipulate what's on the screen with a finger or a stylus.If you want to use them like a blackboard, you can do that too!

AccessoriesAn extended control panel allows users to plug in devices such as document cameras, laptops, and other A/V equipment. The series can be operated with a stylus pen, pointing device or just a finger.Products may include slates and minicomputers, software, projectors, student response systems, and various other accessories available at an extra cost.Boards can be mounted permanently, or purchased on moveable standsDigital ink features allow users to write over applicationsSmart Notebook Software can be used for creating, managing, and teaching interactive lessons

Technologies Effect on Education

2009 Study of 170 classrooms and 85 teachersUsing interactive whiteboards was associated with a 16 percentile point gain in student achievement. (This means that we can expect a student at the 50th percentile in a classroom without the technology to increase to the 66th percentile in a classroom using whiteboards.)3 features had a statistically significant relationship with student achievement

learner-response device — handheld voting devices that students use to enter their responses to questions. The percentage of students providing the correct answer is then immediately displayed on the board in a bar graph or pie chart. Using voting devices was associated with a 26 percentile point gain in student achievement.use of graphics and other visuals to represent information. Use of these aids was also associated with a 26 percentile point gain in student achievement.interactive whiteboard reinforcers— applications that teachers can use to signal that an answer is correct or to present information in an unusual context. These applications include dragging and dropping correct answers into specific locations, acknowledging correct answers with virtual applause, and uncovering information hidden under objects. These practices were associated with a 31 percentile point gain in student achievement.

Getting the most out of Technology

Avoid using the voting devices but doing little with the findings.

Avoid not organizing or pacing the content well.

Do not use too many visuals. Too much stimuli an make it hard to identify the important content.

Try not to pay too much attention to reinforcing features.

Think through how they intend to organize informationGroup information into small, meaningful segmentsInsert flipcharts that remind them to stop the presentation so students can process and analyze the new information

PricingEducation pricing starts at $3,079.

- Check them out at http ://smarttech.com.

Sales of wall screens can range in price from $700 to $4,500

How can you afford one?With state and government funding cuts, as well as layoffs and budget cuts, the economy makes this quite a challenge.PTO’s, private donations and building budgets may be some areasSome teachers are willing to give up other supplies to get a whiteboard into their buildingSome companies are offering products through the ARRA- Americans Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Notable Quotes"As digital tools permeate the classroom, kids get more actively involved with learning, they become doers.” Scott McLeod, a professor at Iowa State University. “Interactive whiteboards have great potential as a tool to enhance pedagogical practices in the classroom and ultimately improve student achievement. However, simply assuming that using this or any other technological tool can automatically enhance student achievement would be a mistake. As is the case with all powerful tools, teachers must use interactive whiteboards thoughtfully, in accordance with what we know about good classroom practice.”- Robert Marzano, Marzano Research Laboratory

Exploring the SMART Classroom

Take the SMART Classroom Tour @ http://downloads.smarttech.com/media/flash/classroomtour/index.html

Additional YouTube Video Resources

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JdG5U8Uwhghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyNOL0lMidU&NR=1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8P-sv9dOu8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywsNjTep1JI&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AgO4ynnyzE&feature=related

Additional Interactive Whiteboard Resources

Smart Board StarBoarde-Beam PolyVisionPrometheanTeamBoard

Works Cited…Corcoran, E. (2009). Getting to the top of the class. Forbes, 184 (6), 40-41.

(2009) Interactive whiteboard system. University Business, 12 (2), 43-43.

Doe, C. (2010). Interactive whiteboards. Multimedia & Internet @ Schools, 17 (1), 30-34.

Marzano, R.J. (2009). Teaching with interactive whiteboards. Educational Leadership, 67 (3), 80- 82.

(2009) The interactive classroom. Instructor, 119 (3), 22-23.

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. (2009). Too cool for school? No way! Learning & leading with technology, 36 (7), 14-18.